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IBM and Cisco Combine the Power of Watson Internet of Things with Edge Analytics

IBM and Cisco today announced a collaboration which combines IBM's Watson IoT with Cisco's edge analytics. DataSkill's work with SilverHook Powerboats was highlighted in the press release.

"SAN JOSE, CA and ARMONK, NY - 02 Jun 2016: Cisco (NYSE: CSCO) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a global collaboration to provide instant Internet of Things (IoT) insight at the edge of the network. Now, businesses and organizations in remote and autonomous locations will be able to tap the combined power of IBM’s Watson IoT and business analytics technologies and Cisco’s edge analytics capabilities to more deeply understand and act on critical data on the network edge."

"SilverHook Powerboats, a company that designs high speed racing watercraft reaching speeds of up to 200 mph, with each boat containing two engines worth approximately $1.5M USD, is tapping into Cisco edge analytics and IBM Watson IoT analytics to help race pilots react immediately to environment and engine multi variate conditions in real-time, indicating the need to throttle back in a split second, for example, to help prevent the boat’s systems from failure and to perform optimally. Previously, without this instant insight into the critical data, the outcomes could spell disaster."

"Building on IBM and Cisco’s long-standing relationship, the solution will be marketed and sold together and will include Watson IoT Platform cognitive and real time insights from IBM with Cisco streaming edge analytics. This will enable real-time analytics to be performed at the edge and collection of data for longer-term analysis in the cloud."

From DeepMind To Watson: Why You Should Learn To Stop Worrying And Love AI

David Gilbert writing in the International Business Times uses the SilverHook story as an example of how AI is about helping companies make better decisions and operate efficiently. An extract from the article is below.

South Korean professional Go player Lee Se-Dol speaks to reporters after a match against Google's artificial intelligence program, AlphaGo, on March 9, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea. PHOTO: KIM MIN-HEE-POOL/GETTY IMAGES

It may not look like one of Isaac Asimov’s robots or sound like HAL from "2001: A Space Odyssey," but artificial intelligence is here, and it is already having a huge impact on how the world works. From the way you shop for a pair of shoes online to how fast a Formula 1 team can push its car’s engine, AI is helping businesses across the globe save millions by improving performance and efficiency.
Still, problems like trust and security, not to mention fears of the so-called singularity, when artificial intelligence would overtake human thinking, remain hurdles that the technology must overcome before it goes mainstream.

AI hit the news this week after a program called AlphaGo, developed by engineers at DeepMind, the AI startup acquired by Google in 2014 for $580 million, defeated the world’s No. 1 Go player Lee Sedol. AlphaGo beat Sedol 4 games to 1, claiming a $1 million prize. It was hailed as a milestone for AI and came a decade before many experts believed it would happen.
DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis said the achievement left him “speechless,” and Twitter users reacted by welcoming our robot overlords. While that sentiment is overstating the victory by several orders of magnitude, machine learning and cognitive computing is already helping to improve the way companies operate.
Five years ago, IBM’s Watson supercomputer made a splash when it beat human opponents to win "Jeopardy," but today the Watson cognitive computing platform is being used by hundreds of companies globally as IBM seeks to make the jump from the theoretical to the real world — and it could be a huge sales driver for the growth-challenged computing giant.

Market research firm IDC claims that by 2018, half of all consumers will interact with services based on cognitive computing on a regular basis. Last September, John Kelly, IBM’s senior research vice president, told Bloomberg that Watson was set to become a “huge engine” for Big Blue.
While growth for the Watson division has been slow since the "Jeopardy" win, it is now beginning to generate significant amounts of revenue, with Kelly revealing it is the fastest- growing part of IBM’s analytics business and could soon pass $1 billion in sales in the near-term. CEO Ginni Rometty’s prediction of Watson's generating $10 billion in revenue by 2023 remains a realistic target.
Rather than seeing AI as a risk, IBM exes said businesses, and the public at large, need to be ready to embrace it as a foundational technology that can change lives.
“I think the real risk for society is not knowing,” Harriet Green, general manager of Watson’s Internet of Things unit, told International Business Times. “Every day we pay the price for not knowing what can be done, not knowing what is wrong with a patient, not knowing where to find critical natural resources.”
AI is developing faster than most predicted thanks to abundant processing power, previously only available on supercomputers that few had access to. Development is also being accelerated thanks to Big Data and the cloud storage infrastructure, which holds all the information that's generated from computers, smartphones and Internet-connected devices and machines.
IBM claims there are in excess of 2.5 billion gigabytes of data being produced every single day, which is the same as 170 newspapers being delivered to every single man, woman and child on the planet — and making use of this data is key for any business. While AI in popular culture relates to self-aware, sentient beings, in the real world of 2016, AI is all about helping companies make better decisions and operate more efficiently.

IBM's Watson IoT computing platform is able to help Silverhook Powerboats to make the most of all the data they collect.

IBM this week announced that Honda’s Formula 1 team is using its Watson IoT platform as part of its analytics. Silverhook Powerboats is another racing team using the AI technology to improve its results.

Just like Formula 1 cars, Powerboats have dozens of sensors on board to collect huge amount of data on everything from temperature of the engine to how deep in the water the vessel is lying. Silverhook's engineers use IBM's cognitive computing tools to gather the data being collected in real time and analyze it to make more informed choices during races. It lets the team "make decisions on how far we can push the engine, push the performance, without getting into a high-risk factor where we could have an accident,” Nigel Hook, CEO of Silverhook Powerboats, told IBT.

CeBIT 2016 for IBM will mark the beginning of a new computer era. Programmable computers will be replaced by cognitive systems. These systems are able to recognize patterns and connections in unstructured data hence to "understand" them. This is the new era of "cognitive business", in which IBM welcomes all visitors.

CeBit is the largest and most internationally represented computer expo in the world. SilverHook Powerboats and DataSkill, in collaboration with IBM, have been creating the next generation of intelligent telemetry incorporating machine learning to predict and prevent engine problems and monitor the health of the pilots in real time. The team uses IBM Analytics solutions based on the IoT Foundation on Bluemix to be able to operate in a more efficient manner. Following this, Silverhook can be much faster during the race and with that be more successful using Analytics and especially SPSS.

IBM Delivers Open Source Streaming Analytics at the Edge for Internet of Things Devices

ARMONK, N.Y.Feb. 19, 2016 IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced Quarks, a breakthrough technology now available to the open source community that embeds streaming analytics onto Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Analyzing data at the edge continuously, can help companies generate insights more quickly and reduce network communication costs. IBM has submitted a proposalto Apache Software Foundation to request incubation of Quarks.

SilverHook Powerboats, maker of some of the world's fastest monohull watercrafts, wanted to use sensor data collected from racing boats to improve the decision-making abilities and safety of racers and to enhance the fan experience. In powerboat racing, racers rely on telemetry data from their boats to formulate strategy and make safety-related decisions. However the high speeds and the pounding against salt water often taxes on-board equipment and drivers. To mitigate such risks, monitoring data is fed back to analytics engines, which provide real-time alerts such as engine performance issues, potential battery failure or even biometric data such as driver exhaustion.

Sensors on SilverHook's racing boats provide more than 80 sources of data, gather measurements at 100 times per second and then transmit the data to on-board computers at five times per second for on-shore teams. But there wasn't a way to collect, distill and deliver insights in a useful format. In collaboration with IBM and Dataskill, SilverHook Powerboats employed a solution that streamed data to a cloud-based analytics solution. Racers can now have access to real-time information while they race, helping them to make adjustments to on-board equipment while they race. The rich visual interface can also allow fans view boat locations, speed and leaderboards in real-time.

"Quarks represents a natural extension of our streaming analytics project. Quarks can be deployed directly on our boats to perform analytics locally. The result is faster insights, which will ultimately help us win the race," said Nigel Hook, co-founder and CEO of SilverHook Powerboats. "Another benefit is we remove dependence on communications networks, which can be unreliable on the water. Quarks offers analytics at the edge so we can pursue a common streaming analytic model across our boats and our central streaming application."

January, 2016

The SilverHook story is featured in the cover story for the January issue of the IBM Systems Magazine

"Using IBM Bluemix to expose core services to the hybrid cloud is one example of how this move has benefited IBM clients. One such client, San Diego, California-based SilverHook Powerboats, sought to get more value from the 80 sensors that generate 2,000 bits of telemetry data per second during a race. Collecting, distilling and analyzing that information to yield useful insights and make informed decisions was a challenge.Using the IBM Internet of Things Foundation, combined with the IBM Bluemix platform, the IBM jStart team was able to help SilverHook’s partners, DataSkill Inc. and Virtual Eye, develop a real-time telematics platform to stream data from the array of the powerboat’s sensors and GPS trackers directly into a private cloud where the solution sifts through the data in real time, searching for relevant information that should be communicated to the racing team. The solution resulted in 40 percent faster application development time and improved decision making, safety and competitiveness."

77 Lucas Oil SilverHook :: NBC Sports to Cover Key West World Championships :: National Season Wrap Up

Super Boat International along with STIHL (producer of the number one selling brand of chainsaws and a full line of outdoor power tools) and JM Associates is proud to announce 3 hours of programming will be packaged for NBC Sports to air early 2016. "SBI has such a great following of fans in the offshore, performance boating and the marine industry and to be able to produce multiple hours of programming for NBC Sports from Key West this fall will be great," comments Mike McKinnis, VP – Executive Producer, JM Associates. "The expanded programming will hopefully allow us to go in depth and showcase the teams and excitement of Superboat racing. The significant commitment that STIHL has made for a second year in a row, brings one of the most exciting extreme sports to the forefront of broadcast television sports seen in recent years." Airing late January and early February 2016, 3 1-hour shows will air on consecutive Sunday’s in early afternoon time-slots. Final details for dates and times will be available on superboat.com later this fall. Expanded NBC Sports Programming with Super Boat International

photo by Tyler Sontag/SpeedRacer Photos

After the final national race of the Superboat International season, finishing fourth out of seven boats in the Unlimited class, team owner and throttleman of the 77 Lucas Oil, Nigel Hook, reflects on the highs and lows encountered this season stating “While we may not have the fastest boat in flat conditions, we have had reliability and consistency. The team is now focused on ensuring our boat is in top form for the upcoming World Championships in Key West!“

Click here to watch the team’s Clearwater YouTube video and in case you missed the live coverage of the race, click here to replay the LiveStream broadcast.

Lucas Oil is the leading producer of high performance lubricants, made in America and sold to the World!

Nigel and Jay would like to thank their dedicated crew for giving them a solid running boat with a special shout out to the Hospitality Team lead by Ken Robertson / Parliament Motor Coach and to the Official Support Boat and Fishing Team captained by Scott and Jamie Knight / Crosslet Insurance Service.

AboutSilverHook®Powerboats
SilverHook is the most exclusive and technically advanced offshore monohull in the world. With lines echoing the iconic XKE that Enzo Ferrari said was the most beautiful car ever made!

77 Lucas Oil SilverHook :: 7th Annual Great Lakes Grand Prix :: August 2nd Michigan City, IN
Join Nigel Hook, Jay Johnson and the 77 Lucas Oil team as they compete in the 7th Annual Great Lakes Grand Prix in Michigan City presented by Superboat International. If you’re unable to make it to the beach, watch all of the action on LiveStream! Click here for to watch all the action Sunday, August 2nd starting at 10:45 CST.

Lucas Oil is the leading producer of high performance lubricants, made in America and sold to the World!

About SilverHook® PowerboatsSilverHook is the most exclusive and technically advanced offshore monohull in the world. With lines echoing the iconic XKE that Enzo Ferrari said was the most beautiful car ever made!

Fighting back to take a second place finish in the Super V Extreme class, #77 Lucas Oil placed ahead of #22 Hooters driven by Johnny Stanch and Ben Robertson and behind #30 Twisted Metal piloted by seasoned veterans Brett Lee Furshman and Billy Glueck.

Team owner and throttleman, Nigel Hook said "Although we are still running the same, super reliable Mercury 1075 engines, just about everything from the rudder to the windshield, has been moved. During the offseason, Dan MacNamara / Team Archer Marine moved out the drives and shifted the engines down and forward. These changes have dramatically lowered my CG, so I’m really looking forward to getting this refreshed SilverHook dialed back in.”

Another significant upgrade are the safety pods incorporated by Westerly Marine. The pods have been an integral component of the SilverHook planning since inception and were designed by Ocke Mannerfelt / Mannerfelt Design Team specifically for stability at high speeds without creating drag. During the offseason Super Boat International reviewed and approved racing with the new safety-focused design.

Driver, Jay Johnson, said “Testing in California felt great and it was very interesting to feel how stable she was at high speeds. But for today’s race, we weren’t balanced right for the conditions. I’m looking forward to testing and the next race in Marathon, FL.”
Nigel and Jay would like to thank their dedicated crew (Bruce Baker, Tim Pattison, Tim Civitella, Jim Marko, and Marc Waddell) for giving them a solid running boat with a special shout out for the Hospitality Team lead by Ken Robertson / Parliament Motor Coach and for the Official Support Boat and Fishing Team captained by Scott and Jamie Knight / Crosslet Insurance Service.

About SilverHook® PowerboatsSilverHook is the most exclusive and technically advanced offshore monohull in the world. With lines echoing the iconic XKE that Enzo Ferrari said was the most beautiful car ever made!

Digitally designed on a virtual clean sheet of paper and perfected in the McLaren Formula One wind tunnel to deliver the highest standard of safety and speed for high performance boating, because you can't always predict when the going will get rough.

Team owner and throttleman, Nigel Hook (CEO of DataSkill) will be presenting alongside Ian Taylor (CEO Virtual Eye), during the IBM InterConnect conference Tuesday, February 24. Learn more about how Nigel’s race boat has become its own Data Center using IBM’s Bluemix and the Internet of Things! And stay tuned for the special guests from Shark Tank. It’s a new way to work!

Click here to sign up and watch Nigel’s live presentation tomorrow at 3:30 PST.
Click here for GoTv’sMain Tent Channel.

For the third year in a row, the team is crowned National Champions and this year in the Superboat Unlimited class competing against the biggest, fastest catamarans and monohulls in the World!

Team owner and throttleman, Nigel Hook said "We weren’t always the fastest boat in this class, but we certainly deserved and earned this National Championship not only because we accumulated the most national points by attending every race showing a firm commitment to the Superboat International series, but also because of the persistence and dedication of our team and the reliability of our Mercury 1075 engines.”

"Heading into this 34th Annual Superboat World Championships in Key West, people were saying we didn't stand a chance" Hook said "but we knew we did, we just needed something other than the flat water seen all season!"

It turns out that Hook’s “other than the flat water” comment was upheld during the final race on Sunday where course conditions were confused. The protected areas, running in and out of Mallory Square harbor, presented easy two-foot waves, however, the outside legs came alive with three to four-footers, the occasional five-foot hole, and gusty wind conditions.

"Not that I considered those condition really rough, but it was rough enough to see the big cats get ridiculously out of shape with Miss GEICO standing vertical on its transom (more than once) and even the 52' MTI looking like an accident waiting to happen" said Michael Silfverberg, driver of the 77 Lucas Oil SilverHook.

Out of the nine Superboat Unlimited entries, #77 Lucas Oil beat all but two during Sunday's final race. More importantly, the SilverHook earned widespread accolades for being in control and for resembling a cruise missile skimming comfortably over the course.

Click here to jump onboard into the cockpit with Nigel Hook and Michael Silfverberg during Sunday’s race and to rewatch SBI’s LiveStream coverage of Sunday’s race click here.

About SilverHook PowerboatsSilverHook is the most exclusive and technically advanced offshore monohull in the world. With lines echoing the iconic XKE that Enzo Ferrari said was the most beautiful car ever made!

Digitally designed on a virtual clean sheet of paper and perfected in the McLaren Formula One wind tunnel to deliver the highest standard of safety and speed for high performance boating, because you can't always predict when the going will get rough.